Housing/Living in Provo

Should we live in Provo or not? Although rental apartments/condos/houses are often more expensive in Provo, it is nice to live close to campus. Not only will you see your spouse more often, but you will be able to attend more MBASA activities and events. With few exceptions, most of our events occur in Provo or on campus. However, many spouses chose to live outside of Provo and find that they enjoy the benefits those cities offer.

Where should we live outside of Provo? You can find nice, affordable, and pleasant neighborhoods throughout Utah County. Springville, Spanish Fork, and Payson are all located south of Provo. Springville is known as “art city” and offers many art-related attractions. These cities are generally smaller, less congested, and have affordable housing rates. To the north of Provo are Orem, Lindon, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Alpine, and Highland. You will be able to find more houses or newer condos for rent, but they are more crowded. The benefit of living farther north is easier access to more amenities and a shorter commute time to Salt Lake City, if you plan to spend much time in Utah’s capitol.

What is it like living in Provo/Utah? Utah is a beautiful state and is especially fun for people who like to hike, camp, or do outdoor activities, like skiing, snowboarding, swimming, fishing, and much more. Utah enjoys four distinctive seasons–relatively dry and hot summers, cold winters with a moderate amount of snow (most of the snow falls in the mountains), and cool falls and springs. See these websites to learn more about life in Provo: “Living in Provo” on the BYU MBA website, Things to Do in Utah Valley, and MBASA’s own“Fun Blog.” You can also check out our compiled list of ideas of fun indoor activities to do with kids during the cold winter months: Winter Indoor Fun with Kids.

How can we find housing in the Provo area? Utahans prefer to use www.ksl.com rather than other online websites (like craigslist) to post classifieds including rental properties. Please see our list of online resources below for more options. MBASA also maintains their own housing spreadsheet which is updated by MBA and MBASA members. We also highly recommend that incoming spouses not sign a contact until they’ve been able to see the rental property in person. Photographs can be deceiving and not all rental properties in Provo are well maintained. You can also live in Wymount Terrace, BYU’s student family housing, on a month-to-month contract until you can find a more permanent housing situation.

Is it practical for my spouse to walk or bike to school? Depending on where you live, yes. Provo is a very pedestrian-friendly city and there are sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks almost through the entire city. Parking on campus is limited, so many students chose to walk. (MBA students, however, are eligible for a “G” parking pass which allows them access to more parking spaces.) Scooters are another good way to get around town. You can find more information about buying a scooter here.

Where can we find good deals on furniture, household items, cars, etc.? Wymount Terrace, BYU’s student family housing, rents furniture. There are also several rental businesses, like Rent-a-Center, who rent furniture, televisions, appliances and more. Deseret Industries (DI) is also a popular place to find used items, as well as www.ksl.com.

Where are the best places to shop?

Macey’s (the grocery store, not the clothing store) – Has some of the best prices around for groceries.

BYU Creamery – Great ice cream and best prices for milk (2 gallons for $4.00)

Sam’s Club – Located on University Avenue across from Provo Towne Center

Wal-Mart (Orem, Springville, American Fork) – Has good prices on groceries as well

Super Target – Located in Orem; they also have good prices on groceries

Sprouts – Located on the corner of University Parkway and State Street in Orem, great produce, local/organic foods, health foods, and bulk items, the prices are not too bad and they often have great sales. They give a 10% student discount every Thursday.

Good Earth (Orem and Provo) – Another health food store with great selection of bulk items; their prices are not as good as Sprouts

What do I need to do to get a Utah’s driver’s license?
In Utah, the Division of Motor Vehicles and the Driver License Division are independent of each other. Every resident of Utah who drives a motor vehicle must have a valid Utah driver license, learner permit or temporary driving permit. Persons become residents and will need to obtain a driver license if they:

Enter the state with the intention of making Utah their home.

Are gainfully employed in Utah (does not apply if you are on temporary assignment in the State.)

Remain in the state for an aggregate period of six months or more during any calendar year.

A 20 minute written test is required in order to get a Utah license. Lines are the most crowded in the early morning, during lunch, and after 5pm but you can make an appointment by calling them or visiting their online appointment system. The Provo Drivers License Satellite Office only issues renewals, duplicates, and original ID’s. In order to get a new Utah Driver’s license, you will have to go to the Orem location at:

How do I register my car?
For information about registering you car in Utah, visit the Division of Motor Vehicles. You will need to have a safety and emissions test for cars that are eight years and older. Several places offer safety and emissions tests throughout the area so shop around for deals. You can find out more information at Utah Safety Emissions. The closest DMV to the BYU Campus is located behind City Hall on Center Street in Provo:

How can I register to vote in Utah?
In order to participate in a current election, you must register 30 days prior to election day, or 15 days prior if you do so at the County Clerks Office in person. For more information on registering to vote go here or contact: Utah County Clerk, Bryan E Thompson, 801-851-8128.